Safety hitch for tractors



May 1, 195.1 J. E. HOPKINS 2,550,812

SAFETY HITbH FoR TRAcToRs Filed sept. 22, 1947 Jo/m E Ho/ok/'ns ATTORNEYv Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED starts 'TENT OFFICE This invention hasv todo generally with the eld of farm implements and towing means therefor,and more specifically to a coupling de- Vice for interconnecting anautomotive vehicle such as a tractor with an implement or the like to betowed thereby, having structure releasable automatically in the eventthe operator for the tractor falls therefrom, all for the purpose ofsafety and eliminating the possibility of serious injury by coming intolcontact with the irnplement.

It is well known in the art that many people are injured, oftentimesfatally, When falling from tractors and being mangled, out and crushedby an implement being drawn by the tractor. Occasion for such fallingfrom the tractor may be rough terrain, falling to sleep, sudden illnessor other factors.

`Many types of coupling mechanisms between tractors and farm implementsmay be automatically released from the tractor seat but all require anaiiirmative action on the part of the operator and are not automaticallyreleasable merely because the operatorvmay be dislodged from hisoperating position. 1

It is the primary object of this invention, therefore, to eliminate thehazards above set forth occasioned by the conventional type of couplingdevice, wherein a swingable platform is mounted upon the tractor to beheld in an inoperative position by the operator and automaticallyswinging to a position for unlocking the implement from the tractor whenthe Weight i of the operator is released from the platform.

They most important object of this invention is the provision of asafety hitch for tractors having a link on the implement and lockingstructure on the tractor tow bar operable to attach said link to the towbar when in one position and having connection with a swingable platformon the tractor for releasing the said link when the platform is at oneend of its path of travel.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a safetyhitch for tractors having a platform swingable on a horizontal axis l.and mounted upon the tractor, said platform having a rearwardlyextending arm connected to a releasable lock on the tractor tow bar forattaching the implement thereto, said platform and arm therefore, beingoperable to release said locking mechanism when the platform swings tothe uppermost end of its path of travel.

'l -lVi'any additional objects of this invention are important and willbe made clear during the course of the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view .of a tractor showing thesafety hitch operably connected thereto, said hitch being in aninoperative unlocked position; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal substantially central sectional view throughthe tractor showing the safety hitch in an operative locked position.

The coupling device about to be described and illustrated in the drawingis understood to be adaptable for interconnecting any automotive vehiclewith an implement or the like to be towed thereby. The tractor shown inthe drawing, therefore, is for illustrative purposes only, and isbroadly designated by the numeral I8.

This tractor I8 is of the Well known type and includes a floor I2 uponwhich is mounted an operators seat I4. A platform generally designatedl5, includes a pair of spaced apart panels I8, one being mounted uponeach `side of the seat I4 upon the floor I2. These panels I8 of theplatform IS arerjoined together by a cross bar 28 disposed along thenormally rearmost ends thereof.

Hinge structure for mounting the platform I upon the floor I2 of thetractor I8 includes an element 22 coiled about and afxed to a pin 24 andsecured to the platform I6 in underlying relationship thereto throughthe medium of bolts or the like 25. An element 28 is similarly rebentupon itself and coiled about the pin 24 and ailixed to the floor I2 oftractor I0 through the medium of a bolt 38. In other Words, there is apair' of elements 22 and 2-8 and a hinge pin 24 for each of the panelsI8 of the platform I8.

Extending rearwardly from the platform I6 and having one end thereofaffixed to the cross bar 2G and intermediate the ends thereof is anelongated arm 32. This arm 32 is joined to an upstanding locking member34 through the medium of a chain or other exible member 38.

The locking member 34 is pivot'ally connected to a tow bar 38 forming apart of the tractor I0 and extending beyond a draw bar 40 in the usual.

manner. Y

yThe locking member 34 has a U-shaped bracket 42 at the lowermost endthereof for re-v o being joined to the section 46 by bolts 50. Theoutermost free end of the section 48 of tow bar 38 has a longitudinalpolygonal bore 52- therethrough for receiving an elongated link 54attached to a portion 55 of the frame of an implement (not shown)through the medium of clevis means 58.

A bracket 60 on the uppermost face of the section 48 near the outermostfree end thereof pivotally mounts an arm 62 throughl the medium of a pin64. This arm S2 has an arcuate projection 65 on one face thereof whichis received by a .slot 68 formed in the section 48 and communieatingwith the bore 52 thereof when. the arm- S'Z is in the substantiallyhorizontal` position illustrated in Fig. 2-.

The link 54 is also provided with a slot lildisposed to register withthe slot t8 within the section 48 when the link 54 is moved into thebore 52 as illustrated in Fig. 2. lt is thus clear that when; the armiZ, is in the horizontal position sh an Fig. 2, the projection, 56 willbe disposed within the slots G8 and 'ill in the section 4 8; and link 54respectively, to interlockl link 5d with the tow bar 38.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing, the member 34 projects a distancebelow the bracket i2 thereof and; has its lowermost end spaced above theuppermost face of that portion of section l having; bore 52; therein.When the arm 62 is in the hQrizontal locked position, this member 3e maybe swung to a substantially vertical position where the-lowermost endthereof overlies arm 62 and holds the same in the locked position. Whenarm 34%k is. swung from the full line position, shown in Eig.. to thedotted line position, the arm 62 will obviously be free to be swungupwardly to the unlocked position shown by dotted lines in Eig. 2; Theswinging of the member 3ft to the unlocked position shown by dottedlines in Fig. 2, is accomplished by the swinging movementY of theplatform it to the position shown in Fig. l. rThis platform i5 isyieldablyheldn the upward position through the medium of a spring 'i2inteIcon-necting they platform i6' adjacent the cross bar 2i) throughthe medium of a hcok- F42 and J'Oning with the draw bar 4l) of tractorlf3 at its opposite end by a hook l-S' provided with a nut 'E83 servingto provide means for adjusting the tension of the spring l2'.

A spring Bil interconnecting theV member 34 at one of its ends andintermediate the end of member 34 and the bracket 5E! on section 4S',yieldably holds the member 34 in the substantially vertical lockedposition. A lever 82 pivotally mounted upon-the tractor lil; through themedium: of a 6 4- has laterally extending ear Si? on the normallylowermost' end thereof disposed to overlie one of the panels Hi oftheplatform leu/hen the same is in the horizontal position adjacent thefloor I2 of tractor li] for holding said platform- I6 in, a positionwhere the same. will. not act upon` theI member-313- when the operator--of the tractor is not positioned thereon.

It is clear that when the coupling device is interconnected as aboveset` forthfor joining the implement to the tractor l, the operator uponseat iii. will hold the platform l5 downward-ly against the door i2 byplacing his feet upon the panels i8'. In the event' that he should bethrown from the tractor or otherwise become displaced therefrom and hisweight released from the platform l5, the spring 'i2 will automaticallydraw the platform IG to the position shown in l. Such operation willcause the arm 32 to swing downwardly and forwardly toward the tractor Hito swing the member 34 out of locking position with respect to the armG2. This arm S2 will then automatically snap upwardly to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 2 because of the pull exerted by the implementand the link 54 will be released whereby the implement will stop as thetractor il) continues forwardly without the operator.

It. is clear that when the entire structure is properly used andassembled with a tractor or other automotive vehicle, danger of injurydue to falling within the path of travel of the implement bein-g drawn,will be entirely eliminated and many casualties thereby avoided.

While only one form of my invention has been shown and' described, it isto be understood that many changes, particularly with respect to detailsof construction, may be made without departing from the spirit of thisinvention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is Claimed `as new and desiredtok be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. An implement hitch comprising a tubular tow member having aperforated side; a periorated bar extending into said member at one endthereof an arm swingaole on the member toward and away from said'perforatedside and having an element passing through the` pcrforationsof side-and the bar when the arm is at one end of; its path of traveladjacent said perforated side; and a U-shaped locking device pivotallymounted on the member for swinging movement to and from a positionpartially embracing said arm when the latter is at said one end of itspath of travel for holding the arm between saidperforated side of thetow member and the bight of said lordrinfg: device andl against swingingmovement toward the opposite end of i-ts path of travel away from saidperforated side.

2. In a tractor having a main horizontal platform, a tow bar, and;releasable means adapted for coupling saidtotf1 bar with an implement; asecondary platform normally superimposed upon said main platform, saidplatforms being hingedly interconnected at the proximal rearmost edgesthereof for swinging movement of the secondary platform on a horizontalaxis toward and away` from thejuppermost face of the main platform; anarm rigid to the secondary platform and extendingv rearwardly therefrombeyond the hinge connection between said platforms; and means joiningsaid arm and said releasable means for releasing the latter as thesecondary platformA swings away from the main platform.

JOHN E. HOPKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Dat-e 945,683v Beydler et al Jan. Li,1910 1,652,345 Brinkman Dec. 13, 1927 2,272,724 OKeane Feb. lO, 1942

